"Cleanup"

The very next day I ended up meeting up with Tanya at courtyard inside the park. We were planning on meeting up with some classmates at school for a study session. I was hoping that she everything still would be cool between us after the date last night. I couldn't see how it couldn't be, we were friends first and it was just one date.

"Hey Adam!" she said with a bright smile.

"Hey Tanya," I replied.

It seems like she was still was in good spirits, which was great considering how well our date went last night.

"You ready to go?" I asked.

She nodded gathering her yellow backpack making her way towards me…

We started trekking our usual pathway through Angel Grove Park when Tanya stopped walking turning to me.

"What is it Tanya?"

"I was just thinking that we could drop by the beach club, since it's on our way…if it's cool with you?" she said peering at me.

"I don't see why not, maybe we could see if we can help Ernie fix the place up," I said.

We continued through the park making our way to the beach club…

"Hey look there's Jason, Rocky and Kat," Tanya said pointing over to the bar.

"Hey guys!" Tanya said.

"Hey you two," Kat said turning her attention over to us.

"What's up?" Jason said smiling.

"What happened, last time I checked this place was trashed pretty badly," I said taking a look around the now cleaned and restored beach club.

"I can answer that for you."

We all turned our attention over to the voice behind the juice bar.

"Whenever Emily and I came in this morning to try to get this place cleaned up, to our complete surprise the place was cleaned and restored as if nothing ever happened."

"Is that so?" Tanya asked.

"Yup, I sure would like to thank whoever did it," Ernie said.

"Ernie, I'm sure whoever did it…did it for the sake of you always helping our community," Kat said winking at us.

"Yeah, I'm sure that they need no thanks," Jason added.

"I still would like to say thanks at least, now that the beach club is up and running another luau on definitely on the way."

"That's great Ernie," I said.

"Thanks, gotta get back to work…have fun you guys," Ernie said walking away from the bar.

"Skull, I'm going to kill you!"

"Sorry Bulky but I tried getting this stuff off but it just won't come off!"

"Well," said Tanya. "It looks like our favorite detectives are back on the job," she chided.

Bulk and Skull were back in their usual detective gear expect that they still had that awful paint spattered over their faces.

"So I guess you guys decided to get keep that stuff on your faces after all?" Jason said snickering.

"No, geek actually this crap just won't come off!" Bulk fired back.

"That's what you guys get for not consulting with Ernie before you came up with those god-awful costumes," Tanya sneered.

"As much as it pains to ask but we need help…" Bulk said trailing off.

"With what?" Tanya asked.

"Getting this stuff off!" Bulk said pointing to his face.

"Yeah so you geeks wouldn't happen to have some paint remover?" Skull asked.

We all glance at one another chuckling.

"Come guys this wouldn't be necessary if somebody…wouldn't have used ink instead of watercolor for our body paint yesterday."

Skull glanced from side to side, looking terribly confused.

"You guys," Rocky said. "You can't use paint-remover. Ink has to wear off."

Bulk glared angrily at his buddy. "Skull I'm going to pulverizing you for this!"

"Bulky…I said I was sorry…" he said trailing off.

"Oh yeah you're going to be really sorry once I get my hands on you!"

"Calm down Bulky," Skull cried throwing up his hands.

"Don't tell me to calm down!" Bulk said charging full force at his buddy.

"Look, you're the one who wanted to get it tattooed on our..."Skull cried running pass all of us towards the beach.

"You can run but you can't hide!" Bulk cried charging past us down the beach disappearing along the beach.

"Bye guys!" Tanya called with laughter, "good luck!"

"I swear those two will never learn," Kat said shaking her head.

"You can say that again," Tanya remarked.

"So, you guys missed all the fun yesterday," Jason said in a low voice.

"Jason, what are you talking about?" Tanya asked.

I too wondered what Jason was referring too.

"All of this," he said gesturing towards the beach club.

"Oh right," Tanya said.

I nodded at Jason's acknowledgment.

"Speaking of which…where you two?" Rocky asked peering over at Tanya and me.

We both glanced at one another, I had a feeling she too didn't know exactly how to answer Rocky's inquiry.

"Well, Adam and I were on our way here…but we got a little sidetracked," Tanya said glancing over at me.

She's good, Tanya was always had some quick wits about her.

"Sidetracked…what is that supposed to mean?" questioned Rocky.

"I bet I have an idea," Jason quipped.

"I'm I missing something here?" Kat asked glancing back and forth between both Rocky and Jason.

"Kat, don't worry I will tell you about it later," Tanya said wrapping her arm around her best friend's shoulder.

Apparently, Jason was the only one who somewhat caught on to our little fib.

"Say Adam," Jason said gesturing over to me.

"Yeah?"

"So, I see you finally got around to asking her out?" he said in a low whisper.

"I did."

"Didn't I tell you, she wouldn't say no…look at you getting all worked up over nothing."

"I had to be sure that's all," I replied. Jason nodded.

"Hey what are you two doing talking all secretly over there?" Kat said.

"Nothing, out of the ordinary," Jason said.

"Sure," Kat said rolling her eyes.

"Guys we need to get going…before we're late for our study group," I said turning to the others.

"Yeah, we should get going," Tanya said stepping away from Kat.

"See you guys later," I said walking over to her.

"Bye guys," Tanya said waving at our friends.

"Have fun…studying together!" Jason called after us…

"That Jason is something else," Tanya said.

"I know right," I said echoing her thought.

We both shared a collectively moment of humor at the silliness of our comrade.

"Shall we?" I asked extending my arm out for her.

She smiled linking her arm around mines. We went on our way arm in arm as we made our way over to school.

Fin